Simpson Crossing Yes - No?

Um, read through the first reply again. Maybe it's 2 irresposible and 0 OK's???

No way too irresponsible. You said "The driver will have experience, common sense and an aversion to self harm (getting lost, stuck etc)". I responded according to those words words. I took it that the driver had the right skills. Wrong!!!

After reading what you just said and also the bit in your posta about the Oodnadatta track I will change my mind and say a difinitive NO.

Phil

Good comment as always Jeff. BTW how are things there at present?

I personally don't recommend anyone lacking previous experience tackle the desert. Gain some experience with someone first.

Jeff's point is one I refer to often - the cost of recovery can be horrendous- rightly so too I might add, but often not considered by travellers.

Thanks for the reply Jeff.

I haven't put much thought into the trip yet, however I would prefer to travel during a cooler time of year and I'm not sure when that period is for the Simpson desert region (there's an example of how early in the trip prep I am), but the first half of the year fits in with my work best.

I do have at least 6 mates who have crossed the Simpson (as well as many more areas) more than once, so I have access to people with first hand knowledge and will be speaking to them as well.

David,
All good starting to pick up after the summer.

Siringo,

I would try to plan your trip from the end of May (still nice & warm) to around the end of July (getting cold at night), there will be people travelling across (maybe too many at times) & hopefully the tracks won't be as chopped up as later in the season.

Thanks once again Jeff (and others), that timeframe sounds perfect.

I think the cost of recovery is most likely the biggest point against travelling alone, but I wanted to ask the question anyway.

Maybe my next question should be, where should I start with regards to planning my trip?

Siringo


The best way to start is to work out the amount of available time you have- allow for travel to and from and be conservative. Plan for a couple of nights stay at special places that way if you have trouble, you have days that you can sacrifice. Distances travelled in the desert vary, but I don't plan on more than about 90k per day average though of course some days you can do several hundred if you wanted to- this is where experience helps.

David

Good to read your words of wisdom Jeff.

A question without notice: You can tell that I am in Canberra hey!!!

What is the biggest cause that you and the mates on the "other side" have to do a recovery? Vehicle breakages, driver experience or nature based?

Phil

Hi Phil,

I'll try & not take the thread off topic but as far as the "most common" breakdown occurrence is (& I can't speak for Barnsey), in my experience If I had to nail it down would be gearbox/driveline issues i.e. clutch failure, broken gear linkages, broken gearboxes (auto as well as manual) broken uni-joints etc...

Although, pretty much anything can & will break at some point in time!

Interesting. I thought that it would be the vehicle. So what this bloke should do is whether he is on his own or with a group is to get a real good pre-trek checkup by someone other than himself. Preferably a good 4WD mechanic. That's where I was heading Jeff.

He didn't mention anything about the car's age or reliability. I know you asked me that before even answering my questions when I was at your place.

My bloke at Hume Offroad is tops.

Thanks mate. One day I will be back.

Phil

Olcoonone has made some good points. Main risks I can think of (now) are:

1. Driver illness or injury - a risk anywhere slightly remote so you need a method of contacting emergency services and you need a good first aid kit (& training) something a lot of us wouldn't expect but we still need to think about.
2. vehicle issue - depending on how self sufficient you are in vehicle repairs - just make sure you know how to contact help for recovery & be prepared to pay :)
3. Wet weather - if there's any risk of rain stay well away - see 2 with more wait involved! (the Park would probably be closed if they are expecting much rain anyway)
4. Getting stuck - if you travel during the season & on well travelled tracks and carry recovery gear (shovel, maxtrax) this is not such a problem - if anything we have found the Simpson too busy, although we travelled the more busy routes as we were single vehicle. Plus I am sure there would be plenty of people only too happy to get into the spirit to help anyone stuck! We have jumped to help others in the past as it's part of the fun.

However, getting stuck every second dune would get annoying (saw a group experiencing this a couple of years ago, annoying for them and us as we were stuck behind them for a long time) so perhaps join a local 4WD club and get some practice in sand / dune driving.

Also follow the advice re tyre pressure.

I'd also like to travel the Simpson next year but, as I'm a single vehicle and a single person, I'll only do if I can go with a group.

Hi Siringo,

Your quote: "if it's like the Oodnadatta track (which I travelled in 2012 and thought was supposed to be remote), then I should see someone every 5 - 30 minutes."

The Oodnadatta Track is gravelled and sometimes sees a grader. It does not cross high sand dunes. The tracks out in the Simpson are just sand, not really formed, are not gravelled and don't get graded, though years ago some of them were constructed for mining purposes - but that work has almost disappeared by now. Both tracks go through remote country, but I don't think that they are really comparable.

You appear to be well set up for remote area travel - about the only thing missing from your list is a relief driver. That is something to be given serious consideration.

After that, its your call.

Cheers,

Val

Thanks for the input Val, much appreciated.

simpson

That would be 09, right.
The sand was soft and the scenery stunning unlike last year with all the vegetation and hard sand.
I remember in 09 just before we left the woman who was a regular poster here and worked at the Birdsville Caravan Park was advising people not to go that year as it was so dry and no wildflowers or vegetation.....well the pictures show another story !!!!!
J

A couple more, you will love it

Don't expect to see that much sand!!

With three wet summers there was a lot of vegetation out there, now this summer has been dry it's all dying off!

Is there still water around Big Red, Jeff?

There may be some left at the moment, but I doubt if there will be any by the time you get there.

use a sand flag - keep channel 10 open - dog whistle on the UHF regularly - should be OK

Got the sand flag but the dog whistle is a new one :)

Thanks

Breakages happen to all types of vehicles. Old, new, cheap, expensive. Out of interest, how old was your vehicle craigandej?

I have a full manufacturers workshop manual on a netbook PC that I reference when needed. You can't get parts out of it, but it's proved to be a very useful item.

It was a 6 yr old Defender, the rear half shafts had just been replaced before the trip, so replacements were sent up free of charge. Upon returning home the broken shaft was sent for analysis and apparently was poor quality. Never paid a cent though, just cost me a week in the desert.

I'd call 6yo a new vehicle. Good you didn't have to pay anything though.

Costing you a week in the desert, I can see how that wouldn't be a problem, but also how it would.

Thanks for the input.